The Cowboy and The Gambler
by Nakaia Aidan-Sun
Summary: Chapter 4 is up! SLASH! '...they paused at the sight of Mush's unconscious body with a red liquid coming out of his head...' (JackRace, SpotBlink, and maybe MushItey)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, I really really suck at writing slash, so please bare with me. I don't own anything, Um.incase you don't already know, it's slash with Jack/Race, Spot/Blink, and kinda a one sided Mush/Blink (I was being a very mean person, please forgive me) Well, now with no further ado.  
  
The Cowboy and The Gambler  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Jack Kelly stood in front of the lodging house trying to come up with a clever excuse for his bloody lip. Normally, Jack would just tell his boys the truth, but then again normally the truth wasn't that he and Sarah had not only broken up, but that she had hit him and drew blood, 'Dang, I shoulda neva taught dat goil how ta fight.' He thought mentally hitting himself. He kept thinking that he should just tell the truth, but no, for Jack had to maintain his reputation even if his pride was hurt beyond compare. You see nineteen-year-old Francis Sullivan, or Jack Kelly to his friends, had been the strike leader two years ago, and had given up what might have been his last chance to go to Santa Fe, and for what, a silly girl, Sarah Jacobs. Jack felt his lower lip again, the bleeding had nearly stopped, but it was still swollen to nearly twice its size.  
  
Jack turned, and began to pace back and forth. Perhaps he could get away with sneaking in and going straight to sleep. Jack grinned, that was his plan. He walked into the lodging house at last and walked over to the counter where the old man, known as Kloppman, slept in a chair. Jack opened the book and scribbled in his name quickly. He closed the book and tiptoed up the stairs, where luckily most of the younger boys were asleep.  
  
"Hey Jack, so you finally decided to come home?" Mush asked softly.  
  
"Ya," Jack tried to smile with his huge bottom lip.  
  
"What happened to yo-" Mush stopped as Blink walked into the room whistling as happy as a lark. "Hey Kid, where'd ya go this mornin'? I waited for ya 'til about six, then I gave up and sold me papes."  
  
Jack grinned, he would go to sleep now, but first he wanted to hear Blink's answer.  
  
"Brooklyn." Blink answered quickly as Jack walked to his bed.  
  
"Why Kid?" Mush asked on, without looking Jack could tell Blink was getting annoyed with his best friend. But than again Jack was curious too, and if it weren't for the whole lip thing, he would be right next to Mush bugging Blink, too.  
  
"None of ya business! I just had stuff to do okay." Blink snapped and climbed into bed stepping on Race's gut on his way.  
  
"Okay," Mush sounded very disappointed and hurt, "Hey Jack?"  
  
Jack tried not to laugh as he pretended once more to be asleep. Jack waited 'til he heard Mush climb into bed and he heard Blink begin to snore, before he walked quietly into the washroom, got his red bandana wet, and placed it onto his lip. Jack shivered as he felt the cold moist cloth on his lip. He had almost gotten used to it when he heard the familiar footsteps enter the washroom.  
  
"Jack, nice lip." Came the cocky-Italian voice of Racetrack Higgins, Manhattan's very own resident gambler.  
  
"Yeah, isn't it just?" Jack gave a half grin, "What are you doing up, Race?"  
  
I decided to see who decided to make such a racket and keep me up all night." Race grinned.  
  
Jack laughed, Nah, what are you really doing up?"  
  
"That bonehead back there stepped on me hut, so I decided that I needed a smoke," Race took a puff of his cigar and grinned, offering it to Jack. Jack took a puff and handed it back to Race, "So, what happened to your lip?"  
  
"I ran into a door." Jack lied, Race stared at him. 'Dang, why can't I pull off a bluff this one time,' he thought. "You want the truth don't ya?"  
  
Race nodded, "And if it's bad enough for you to claim you ran into a wall, I won't tell a soul, Ise swear."  
  
Jack's smile disappeared, "I broke up with Sarah, I told 'er dat if I had ta either kiss a Jacobs or have all of my Newsies die, that I'd rather kiss Davey than her, then for some reason she hit me, I guess I should 'ave let 'er down nicely right?" Jack grabbed Race's cigar again.  
  
"Dat would explain it. But I always thought you were in love with Sarah," Race said trying to hide the smile that appeared once he heard that Jack had broken up with Sarah, which meant that he might have a chance with the guy of his dreams.  
  
"I thought I did, too.or at least I hoped I did, because I mean it would be the right thing for me to do right.but I don't know.I think I mi-" Jack was cut off by Race's lips touching his. Jack didn't know what to do; after all, this was Racetrack Higgins, his best friend, right?  
  
Race stopped kissing Jack as soon as he noticed that Jack wasn't kissing back. His face turned a dark shad of red. "I.I haveta go ta bed." Race said looking at the ground, forgetting about his cigar. He walked quickly to his bunk praying that Jack wouldn't tell anyone about it.  
  
A/N: So, that was the first chapter, I have another chapter too, but I don't know if I want to bother typing it up, because heck, it was written to keep me sane during AP American. So, please tell me what I should do. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sadly, I still don't own Newsies.but I have to say that this chapter is more like humor, because I was going crazy in my AP American class.so I wrote this.well, it was very funny at the time.oh ya.Shout outs at the end.  
  
The Cowboy and The Gambler  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Two weeks later, Race seemed relieved, no one had found about his kiss with Jack; however, he was kind of upset that Jack just assumed it was a dream. Race had been trying to keep Jack out of his mind, but it was hard when you saw the object of your desires everyday, when you watched him sleep, get dressed, shower, etc.  
  
Race's train of though derailed in an instant as Blink walked in the nearly empty room with one arm around none other than the King of Brooklyn himself, Spot Conlon. Race tried to look as though he didn't envy them. Blink must of noticed Race's stare because he quickly moved his arm from Spot's waist and put it in his vest, as he and Spot moved apart.  
  
Race walked over to his best friend, "So Spotty-boy, how long 'ave you an' Blink been together?"  
  
If Race didn't know better he'd think Spot Conlon was blushing, but Spot Conlon didn't blush. "Remember dat picture of us dat Denty took during da strike?" Race nodded, "Before dat."  
  
Race's eyes grew slightly, he had guessed that Spot had liked Blink, but come on a relationship for over two years.who woulda guessed that.  
  
Spot put a hand over Race's mouth, "Don't tell anyone, unless you want people to know 'bout da Cowboy t'ing."  
  
Race nodded, and the rest of the Newsboys walked into the room, including David Jacobs, although he wasn't a newsie anymore.. he was going to college to become a lawyer. Jack was the last one to come in; he had a huge bottle of beer in his hand.  
  
"Heya, guys, d'ya wanna play a game?" he asked looking around.  
  
"Like poker?" Race asked pulling a deck of cards out of his pocket and giving it a quick shuffle.  
  
"Nah, I was thinking more like I've Neva." Jack said.  
  
"I'm game." Race said putting away his cards; Blink, Spot, Mush, Skittery, and even Davey quickly agreed.  
  
"Do you all know how ta play?" Jack asked, Davey was the only one who didn't. "Well, firste someone says 'I've neva.' then something they have neva done. Then everyone who has done it takes a sip of theit beer, d'ya get it?"  
  
Everyone nodded and Jack filled seven glasses.  
  
Race grinned, "I wanna go first."  
  
"Then go," Jack said also grinning.  
  
"I've neva gotta bloody fat lip from an ex-girlfriend." Race said looking straight at Jack. Jack glared, then took a sip of his beer, it was then that it hit him, if Race knew about that, then it couldn't have been a dream. Race had kissed him.  
  
"I have one!" Skittery grinned, "I've neva kissed a boi."  
  
Jack was surprised to see that Spot, Blink, Race and Davey drunk along with him. Mush looked over to Blink almost in tears, the poor kid's heart had just been broken.  
  
"I'se neva been friends wit a Delancy," Mush said trying to hide the hurt in his voice.  
  
Jack was the only one to drink and all eyes looke questioningly at him, "I was five, dey lived next ta me grandparent's house. I wasn't a newsie yet." Everyone looked as though they had forgiven him, "I've neva slept wit a guy."  
  
"But Jack, we's all share a room." Mush said looking confused and naïve.  
  
"Not like dat Mush, I mean.well if ya don know den don drink." Jack answered as Spot, Blink, and Davey took a drink.  
  
Three hours, and a giant beer bottle later, the game was over. Blink decided to go with Spot back to Brooklyn, dropping Davey off on their way. The other newsies went to their beds to sleep.  
  
Once Mush finished crying himself to sleep, and Skittery was snoring loud enough to wake the dead, but not a newsie apparently, Jack walked over to Race's bed and sat down next to the smaller boy.  
  
"What do you want?" Race asked as he turned around in his bed.  
  
"You." Jack said mentally hitting himself, but heck, he was drunk, he wasn't supposed to be logical was he?  
  
"What?" Race asked as Jack's lips covered his. Race kissed back at once. When the kiss had finally ended, Jack smiled.  
  
"You taste like cigars."  
  
"And you taste like an ashtray." Race responded. Jack stood up to walk back over to his bunk. "Where are you going, Jack?"  
  
Jack's smile grew, "Shouldn't we go on at least a first date before we sleep together?"  
  
Race smiled, "I think I love ya, Cowboy."  
  
"I love ya too Racey."  
  
Shout-outs 


	3. Chapter 3

Shout-Outs (First then I won't forget them this time)  
  
Sage1899- Thanks for both of the reviews! I'm not a big slash person either, or I never used  
to. I love the game I've never, even though I've only played it  
once.without  
alcohol. Well, I don't think the slash is going to get that  
graphic, because  
personally I still have a hard time writing it.  
  
The Jack Loving Misfit- Of Course you should type up Drunken Confessions! Fanfiction.net needs more Race/Jack stories! Because hey, we have to create the new trend right? I'm starting to think that this is the most I've updated a story I  
one week, and please update your fic Prayers and Promises.it's so  
good. I love you!  
  
Soaker- They thanks for the review, I hope you liked the second part.  
  
STUPID STORY- I'm very sorry that I have offended you, I only have one question, if it  
was so bad why did you continue reading it to the second chapter? I'd like you to  
know that your flame had been used to burn the left over Newspapers from the  
strike. Please don't bother to flame again.  
  
Specsglasses- You're right, that person didn't have a right to flame me...or maybe they  
did... I don't really care anymore though, because I requested a song on Show  
Tune Saturday Night.and they played it! So, now I'm kinda wired.  
  
The Cowboy and the Gambler  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Good morning, Sunshine," Jack's voice pierced though Race's dreams to awaken him.  
  
"Heya Jack, what's up?" Race said turning to look for his cigar.  
  
"Well, not you . . . so come on get up! I'm takin' ya ta Tibby's fer Breakfast before we sell our papes." Jack grinned.  
  
Race smiled, "That would be great!" He looked around the lodging house bedroom to see Mush sitting in the corner crying once more. "Do you think we can take Mush with us? I think he's kinda heartbroken about Blink."  
  
Jack looked at Race for a moment, wondering if he should tell Race no, but then his eyes drifted to Mush, who didn't look like himself. Mush's eyes were concentrated on Blink's empty bunk, and they were filled with unshed tears. No matter how much Jack wanted to be alone with Race, he just couldn't bring himself to be selfish while Mush was crying like a baby over a broken heart. "Of course he can come with us . . . just don't try to comfort him like you comforted me after my break up."  
  
Race smiled and kissed Jack quickly on the cheek, "Dang, but that's the only way I can get a boy . . ." Jack hit Race gently across the head. "Geez, Jack, I was only kidding, ya know I only have eyes fer you."  
  
Jack smiled, "Come on, let's go invite Mush ta come."  
  
Mush looked up to see Jack and Race narrowing into his position. He hastily wiped the tears from his eyes, and put on his best fake smile. Race stopped worrying about Mush for long enough to be grateful that Mush was horrible at playing poker, because if he could use this poker face, then he could beat anyone . . . well, besides him.  
  
"Hey fellas how are ya?" Mush's voice squeaked as he tried to cover up the hurt in it once more.  
  
"We're great, to bad ya can't say da same Mush." Race said placing a hand on Mush's shoulder.  
  
"Why do ya say dat Race? Ise fine. See, Ise just not in bed 'cause I err . . . um . . . lost my glasses." Mush bluffed.  
  
"Nice lie Mush, and it may have worked if say, Specs was to say it." Race said smiling.  
  
"Why's dat, Race?" He asked.  
  
"Gee, I don't know, maybe 'cause you don wear glasses." Jack said trying not to laugh.  
  
Mush looked up at Jack, "But I do wear glasses, or I did . . . but I lost 'em when I was five.I left 'em at me parent's house when I was running away."  
  
"Oh, so . . . um . . . why were you crying Mushee?" Jack asked, confused as to what got them on the subject of Mush having glasses.  
  
"I wasn't crying." Mush bluffed.  
  
"You like Blink don't ya, Mushee." Race asked.  
  
"I . . . um . . . how could you tell?" Mush asked.  
  
"It's kinda obvious, I'm sorry about last night." Race said looking at his feet.  
  
"You know there plenty more fish in the sea ya know." Jack put in.  
  
"I know . . . but dey ain't Blink." Mush pouted.  
  
"Well, let's get going before it's too late, I mean, it will make you feel better to eat something Mushee." Jack said smiling.  
  
"Okay, let's go." Mush walked out of the door.  
  
"You're a good guy, ya know dat Jack . . . and I love you." Race grinned, as they walked out the door.  
  
A/N: Wow, I had that chapter typed up for a LONG time. But now I have a problem . . . and my new muses (which I actually have now) went on strike . . . again, so I don't know who Blink should be with, because I mean Spot is so cool.and there is defenity something going on there, but I don't want to hurt Mush . . . so um. . . 


	4. Chapter 4

~Shout Outs~  
  
Soaker- Yup, I do feel so sorry for Mush, but please don't hate me for this chapter; I swear that I love Mush a lot. Jack and Spot are so cute, aren't they? Thanks for the review.  
  
Specsglasses- Dude, DuDe! I hope that you are happy for this update, but you are so awesome. I love ya, and d'ya know what, this chapter is dedicated to you. It's weird, my Mush!Muse wanted me to write this chapter like this, but I wouldn't want to other wards. Thanks for the review.  
  
T-R-Us- It's okay, I'm from a good Mormon home, yet I find myself writing and reading slash, but ya know, it's helping us celebrate differences isn't it. Well, I hope you like this chapter. Thanks for the review.  
  
Obsessed wit' Aaron Lohr- Wow, those whole what, two things that you said that were really about my fic were very insightful. Love ya sis. Thanks for the review.  
  
Sage1899- I think I'm going to follow your idea. I really enjoy your review. Thank you for you review.  
  
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Alarice, because she's the coolest, and I love her like a sister, sorry if it doesn't sound so great, but I really can't think straight today.  
  
The Cowboy and The Gambler  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The breakfast had been good, although Jack and Race's constant P.D.A.s really didn't help Mush too much. Jack kept hurrying Race and Mush, that is when ever his tongue wasn't down Race's throat.  
  
"I'm gonna go and sell me papes, okay?" Mush told the two kissing boys.  
  
Mush ran to the distribution office as thought filled his head, thoughts of Blink sleeping, dressing, and goofing around, followed by visions of Race and Jack making out, then of his father playing catch with him, then...then the visions stopped as he fell back onto the ground unconscious.  
  
About half an hour later, Race and Jack were walking to get their papers from the distribution center, they paused at the sight of Mush's unconscious body with a red liquid coming out of his head that matched the red stain that could now be seen on the fire escape above him.  
  
"Oh my God," Race said forsaking Jack's hand to run to Mush.  
  
"What d'ya think happened to 'im?" Jack asked before looking at the fire escape and answering his own question, "Oh man, he must have hit the fire escape."  
  
"I had a feeling we shouldn't let him out by himself, I should've done something," Race started to shake as his voice rose, Jack put a hand on Race's shoulder.  
  
"It's okay, we couldn't have stopped it."  
  
"It's not alright! Mush is probably dead because I followed my dick instead of my gut." Race stood up and began crying into Jack's gray shirt.  
  
"He's still alive," came a voice from behind them.  
  
"What?" Race asked as he and Jack turned to see Itey and an elderly man in a white coat.  
  
"He's still alive. I found 'im after I got my papers, so I ran and got Doctor Higgins, my family's older doctor, from before they, ya know. He's gonna take Mush to da hospital, but he should be okay."  
  
Race stared at Dr. Higgins, "Itey, how do you know this guy?"  
  
"He was my family's doctor."  
  
"Where?" Race looked at Itey.  
  
"Um...Rome."  
  
Race's mouth dropped, "Grandpa?"  
  
Dr. Higgins looked at Race, "Excuse me?"  
  
"Grandpa, it's me Antony. Ya know Tony." Race almost started to cry.  
  
A/N: I know it's short, but I promise I won't write another short one next time. 


End file.
